Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my five original characters.
A/N: Before I start, I'd like to say that this chapter is specially done, for my friend, Mandazu-chi. For all your help on chapter 4, and elsewhere in the story, as well as everyday of my life, for a good six yrs+ now, I give you this one, as a thank you, and a Christmas present. Remember, your nee-san loves you always! That said I'd like to thank the reviewers again as always and I hope that everyone who reads this as well as my beloved reviewers enjoy this!
Chapter 25: Fun in China
"Alright folks, the first match of the Chinese Division of the World Championships, starts in mere seconds. For all you who don't know, I'd advise you, to prepare, for some serious action, because these bladers, seem to have, some serious grudges to sort out." AJ started.
"I'll say, not only has team Elite 10, lost two of their beybladers, with Julia and Raul's sudden departure, but Tala has resigned from his position as a reserved blader for their team as well. Tala has requested this battle himself, specifically asking to battle Rika, Riku, King, and Queen. The battle is a winner take all. If Tala wins this match, then team Perfect 10 will automatically advance to the semi finals of this division of the tournament. The reverse also holds true. But if he loses, team Perfect 10 will be eliminated. The reverse holds true for that as well." Brad added.
"Without further ado, let this battle royale begin. Bladers ready, three...two...one...Let it rip!" Jazzman's finish, caused instant war between the former teammates. "You're way in over your head Tala, there's no way you can win this battle." Riku said, as all four of them, mercilessly attacked Wolborg's blade with their own.
"Shut up, and roll over, and die already, your voice drives me up the wall!" Tala exclaimed sending Bakunawa's blade, flying out of the beydish, with Wolborg's Ice Tornado. "Flame Cutter!" Rika's sneak attack hit the mark, the arctic wolf, was torn apart, by the curled up snake, that grew flaming spikes to shield itself, from a possible counter attack.
"You're forgetting, that Wolborg's not one, but two bit beasts. Feel the power of the ice goddess, Wolborg, Snow Shimmer attack!" And the goddess faded into a blue shadow, and proceeded to freeze the snake from within. A mini explosion happened, as the elements canceled each other out. "Diamond Slash!" And Tala's command, caused the arctic wolf to finish the battle, Shakunawa's blade landing inches away from Bakunawa's.
"Two down, two to go. It's been nice knowing you, King, Queen. Wolborg, Novae Rog!" The attack sent both blades flying, and Wolborg's forms retreated into their blade for a much deserved rest, returning to their master's hand.
"And once again, Tala proves, that he shouldn't, be taken lightly." AJ said. "I'm having a bit of nostalgia here AJ. That was almost as brutal as Kai's defeat of the All Stars a few years ago with Black Dranzer." Brad supplied. "Well, what can we say guys, the Elite 10, have been put through a winter nightmare. The match goes to Tala, and team Perfect 10 advances to the semi finals!" Jazzman finished, causing the crowd, to start cheering loudly.
"You mind explaining, why you're dressed like that?" Bryan asked, as Tala walked back to his team. "Do I look THAT bad?" Tala asked pouting. "No, you look really good actually, but, I thought you didn't have a woman complex." Bryan replied.
He had only just managed to get over his shock, at the redhead's choice of attire, for the opening day, of the Chinese division of the championships. Given the fact that Tala was dressed, in black high heeled boots, black leather pants, a blue jeans mini skirt, with a silver belt, and a tye dye wifebeater, it was completely understandable. The baby blue eye shadow, and eye liner, as well as the baby blue nail-polish, and black fingerless gloves that completed the look, weren't helping at all.
"Lost a bet with Ian. It's comfortable, I might just start dressing like this more often." The younger explained simply. "Don't look now but, I think it's got a certain set of guys, totally turned on." The elder mouthed in Russian. "What about Kai?" The younger mouthed back. "Couldn't be more obvious. He's harder than frozen candy." The elder replied, pulling Tala into his lap.
"What are you doing?" The redhead asked, but made no move to get away. "Adding to your brilliant act." The elder replied, in a whisper to his ear before kissing his neck. "Keep it minimal, this feels way too weird." The younger whispered back, but let out a fake moan none the less, getting Hiro's attention. "I hear you my brother. It's working already, he's got it bad for you." The elder mouthed, as Tala got up.
"What's the big idea?" Hiro asked, picking the redhead up bridal style, and carrying him away, to their locker room. "Aww, don't get jealous on me baby, it's for you." Tala replied, once he was set down. "At the very least, you look the part now." Hiro said, claiming Tala's plush cherry glossed lips. "You don't have to remind me, every second, that I'm whoring myself to you." Tala said, pushing him away.
"I'm still in control here, my little ice princess, don't forget that." Hiro said, pushing him against a locker, and once again claiming his lips. "Wait until tonight," Tala whispered, having been left nearly breathless from the kiss. "You can fuck me as much as you want now, since competing has been taken care of until next week." He explained. "Fine, but don't expect to get any sleep." The elder said backing away, as the others entered the locker room. "See you later." Hiro said, as he willed himself to play babysitter for the rest of the team, and perform his job as coach, by taking them out for lunch. The door clicked shut, and Tala was left alone with Brooklyn, much to his displeasure.
"So, how's training been, since the switch?" Tala asked, wanting desperately, to end the uncomfortable silence between them. "It's okay, Bryan's dark side is really scary though." The younger replied, from the chair he sat in, looking through the few magazines, on the table in the room. His eyes were glued to the elder though. "I'm glad the switch hasn't affected your training. Bryan's dark side, is indeed scary, but I'm more afraid of Spencer's." Tala said, going over to sit at the table with him. "Spencer, HAS, a dark side?" The younger asked, genuinely surprised.
"I've only ever gotten a glimpse at it, once. Boris had me beaten once, so badly, that I fell into a coma, for three days. Spencer got so mad, that Seaborg, destroyed three quarters of the abbey, and Boris ended up, with almost every, major bone, in his body, fractured. Luckily, I got to see what he was capable of, because one of the security cameras, had managed to stay operational, and recorded everything." The redhead explained, a smile breaking onto his face.
"You demolition boys, are really close." The younger said thoughtfully. "You have no idea. They've been with me since I was five. When one of us wanted to give up, we continually gave each other, the push that was needed, to keep us going. They're more than just friends to me, they're family." Tala supplied seriously.
"Who's who in this little family of yours?" Brooklyn asked. "Um, I guess you could say, Kai and I are the parents, Bryan's the model child, Spencer's the one that has to be watched like a hawk, cause he won't express his troubles openly, and Ian's the baby." Tala said slowly, thinking his reply through carefully.
"Three sons protecting their mother. I can see it. They're quick to turn on dad." Brooklyn supplied jokingly. "Kai doesn't think of them as his children though, and neither do I really, with the exception of Ian, but, yes, I suppose they are quick to turn on dad." Tala said, in a thoughtful tone. "And why is that?" Brooklyn didn't really, understand what it was, that the other demolition boys, held against Kai.
"That's complicated, my guess is that it's because they know that I'm not really, as strong as I let on half the time. Kai was born, with the ability to overcome pain, as if it were never there. I can endure vast amounts of pain, but I can never avoid a break down." The elder explained. "You're way too hot right now, for your own good." Brooklyn said, causing Tala to look at him in shock.
"I wish there was something, I could do, to get you to move on, but I've done all I can. Please, don't make it impossible, for us to have, a simple conversation." He said, after recovering from his shock. "How the fuck, do you expect me, to move on, when I have to see you, dressed like that?" The younger's anger, resonated through his voice.
"You'll be spared of seeing me like this, for a while yet Brooklyn. I'll wear a more conservative top next time. We're going out to a karaoke bar this evening. Enjoy yourself, and remember not to watch when it's my turn. You'll regret it if you do." The elder said calmly. "Why should I not, watch when it's your turn?" The younger asked after a while.
"Just trust me. You don't want to see, what I'm going to do." Was the serious reply. "What exactly, are you going to sing?" Now Brooklyn was just curious. "Just trust me, you won't like it." Tala replied, smiling mischievously.
-That Evening at the Karaoke Bar-
The first person to perform, was obviously Ming-Ming, who sang Nightwish's Sleeping Sun. It was very off key, due to the difference in Tarja and Ming-Ming's voices, but the applause was still huge. Next up was Ian, who sang the Gummy Bear song, causing everyone to laugh. "I dare you to go up there, and sing Beauty and the Beast." Tala said, looking over at Bryan and Spencer.
"I want your motorcycle." Spencer played it for all it was worth, once they had done the dare, dance and all, Bryan being Belle, and Spencer being the Beast. "Let me think about that...no!" Tala said sarcastically, but said the word no, with dead seriousness. "It was worth a try." Spencer said sighing. "No it wasn't Spence, not at all." Tala retorted, turning his attention to the stage.
Next up was Hiro, who was singing Mr. Moonlight by Morning Musume, and imitating Yoshizawa Hitomi, and Takahashi Ai's pimp acts, perfectly. "Oh yeah, he's definitely, got it bad for him." Bryan commented, as Hiro handed Tala a microphone, singing the first 'Odori masenka? Paradise' line. "That's priceless." Spencer added, when Tala joined in, imitating Iida Kaori's dance routine, and singing Abe Natsumi, and Goto Maki's solos. "He thinks he's so cool." Kai muttered, twitching, as Hiro took the act up a notch, openly molesting Tala, as he sang Yoshizawa Hitomi's parts.
//He'd better, drop him like a rock soon, or I'm going to go insane.// He thought.
//Somebody's jelly.// Dranzer thought, in a laughing tone.
//Shut up, just shut up!// He thought back angrily.
"You are so hot." Hiro whispered, licking Tala's ear. "And I'm all yours." Tala said seductively, as he turned in his arms, touching himself suggestively. "Don't tempt me, my sweet ice princess," Hiro said, attacking his neck with his mouth. "You might, not like what happens to you, if you do." He finished, hands finding their way under the wife-beater the redhead wore, fingers teasing heated flesh.
"Or maybe I would. Just another hour or so," Tala whispered suggestively, his voice shaking. With some difficulty, he managed to escape from the elder, but whispered promisingly, before going back to his table, "Good things come, to those who wait, I'll be your Barbie girl tonight.", leaving the elder to watch him go, with a captivated, and spellbound look in his eyes.
//Are you sure you're just acting?// Tala had to hold back a laugh, as Kai's jealous voice, rang in his head. //Until you hear me call him master, yes.// He replied, sparing the elder a glance. //I'm going to fuck you so good when this is over, that you'll call, ME, master.// Kai thought back to him, glaring all the while. Tala closed off his mind, merely offering the elder the middle finger as a response.
The next people up, were Tyson, Max, and Daichi, who were singing Aaron Carter's I want Candy. Tala laughed really hard at the end, because Max had ended the performance with the words "No really, gimme some candy!", and he had actually thought the younger had matured enough, to get the hidden meaning, behind the lyrics of the song. "Idiots." Kai muttered, shaking his head.
The next performance got even Kai to laugh. Oliver and Enrique were doing, 'If you were gay' from Avenue Q. Garland went next, performing 'Idiot Boyfriend', which brought forth more laughs from the crowd. After that, Brooklyn decided to go up, and Tala couldn't bring himself to watch, as the younger sang Evanescence's My Immortal. He knew it was for him, he could almost smell the salty tears, that were spilling from the other's eyes, as he poured his heart out for him.
"I'll be back." Tala said, before quickly chasing after the younger, who had told Hiro he would catch a cab back to the hotel, because he was tired. "Stop following me." Brooklyn growled at him, as he unsuccessfully hollered for a taxi to stop. "I'm sorry." Tala said, hugging him. "Why can't you just forget Kai and Hiro?, and be with me. I've never hurt you, and never would!" And Brooklyn cried into his chest, hugging him back.
"Life's not that simple, and trust me, I'm not with Hiro, because I want to be. It would've been wonderful, if we'd crossed paths sooner, maybe then, I wouldn't still be trying, to get my fairytale ending. I'm sorry, but you, you have to find a way to move on sweetie. All that's happened up until now, it helped me understand, that whether or not I get hurt, because of him or not, I will, always, belong to Kai." Tala didn't lie to him, and the younger looked up at him, with a sad smile.
"I understand." He whispered, and Tala wiped his tears away, offering him a similar smile. "Should I wear ear plugs tonight?" Brooklyn asked jokingly, as they both tried, in vain, to get a taxi to pull over. "I think that, would be a smart thing to do." The redhead replied, stepping into the road. The action, caused a taxi to finally stop.
With a few threats with the limited Chinese he knew, he managed to get the younger a ride. Brooklyn assured him that he knew enough Chinese to get by, and he shut the car door, watching the car disappear from view, before going back inside. "Give me that." He said, all out snatching the microphone from Rei. The neko-jin had been singing and dancing, to Sexyback by Justin Timberlake.
"Hey!" Rei growled out, pushing him off the stage, and grabbing one of the spare microphones, proceeding to start again. "Poor little kitty, scared you're not the only one, who can be a woman?" Tala bit back, getting the song to be played from the beginning again. "You and me Rei, war of the Sexyback. Lets see who can pull off the better woman." He challenged.
"Accepted. Kai's judging." Rei supplied in turn, unafraid. "Why just Kai? Hiro and Lee should judge as well, that way, one of them, will have to cast the deciding vote. Or are you too chicken, to do this for real? Kai, would only vote for you, out of pity, anyway." Tala knew, that the neko-jin wouldn't back out, especially with the last thing he'd said.
"I'm going, to make you eat, those words." Rei spat back, holding his hand out. Tala shook his hand, smirking devilishly, as he got on the stage.
The music started, and for a while, all they did was sing and dance. Hiro would go for either one at the moment, and Lee was on the same page, unable to deny, that Tala, made a really good woman. Things may have been to Rei's favor, if he still had his long hair, but with it gone, some of his feminine charm, was gone too.
The second time the 'Dirty babe, you see these shackles, baby I'm your slave' part came up, Tala gained a good amount of points, from all three of them, when he went over to each of them, and touched himself suggestively. Rei was too pure of heart, to get so into it, and stopped. Tala even came over to him, a few times, when the 'Come here girl' line came up, scaring him a bit, as every time he said the words, it was in a very dirty tone, leaving, nothing, to the imagination. By the time the song ended, Tala was so into his act, that he had been covered in beer, soda, and spit from all three judges.
"Well?" He asked
"I think it's safe to say you win Tal." Spencer supplied, shaking away his shock.
"That does it, you're mine." Hiro said, grabbing Tala by the arm, and leading him out of the bar.
//When this is over, I'm going to kill you!// Kai's voice filled Tala's head.
//No you won't, you'll just ask me to perform my Sexyback, for you, and you alone.// The redhead thought back in a teasing tone.
//Damn you!// Kai thought back, but was met by a mental wall, which caused him to slam his fists, onto the table in front of him.
A/N: Another one down. Mandazu-chi, I want you to review this one! Please enjoy, all of you. Merry Christmas!